As a freshman in high school, Jacqui had to make the big life decision of which direction she wanted to pursue. “I had to decide quite early on what I wanted to do. I decided to be a nurse because 1) I like helping people, and 2) I couldn’t imagine sitting in an office day in and day out.”

Jacqui’s favourite part of being a nurse, and what she was best at, was communicating with others. “I realized I was good at talking with and interacting with people.” She thought, “Maybe I don’t need to stay in nursing to be able to achieve my goal of helping people. Maybe there’s something else I can do.”

A turning point in Jacqui’s career was discovering that she had dyslexia. While she wasn’t being fulfilled by her position as a nurse, she realized she could still help others by incorporating her personal experiences of struggling with dyslexia. She then discovered coaching and made a choice to switch paths and help people with ADHD. “Although the two conditions are different, they are very similar,” she shared. “People would ask, “Are you psychic? Are you living in my head?” But I just knew intuitively what was happening.”

Personalized Support

Jacqui explained that what she does as a coach for people with ADHD is help them implement natural things to help their condition. Taking Omega 3, eating protein with every meal, exercising, meditation and journaling are some of the things she encourages.

“Everyone experiences ADHD differently… We really want to marry what I know works with people with ADHD with their personality, their type of ADHD, and their preferences so that they can implement all these steps in a really natural, effortless way.”

Everyday Writing

Jacqui writes every single day, and for her, it takes many different forms. What she likes to begin with in the morning is a “brain dump” to help her get whatever is on her mind onto paper. This ensures her head is clear for when she writes articles for her blog. She also makes time to reflective write, either at the end of the day or during her commute, and maintains a productivity journal.

When asked what mindfulness means to her, Jacqui stated, “Being present as much as possible in the moment.” She recalls how she’s always been a worrier. “If I’m not being present in the moment, then I’m worrying and creating anxiety for myself.” Jacqui likes to write down all of her worries and concerns. “It’s almost like magic. If you write down all your worries, within 48 hours they will resolve. Either because you’ve taken action, or they weren’t as big as you thought, or because something in the universe rearranged itself.”

Jacqui recognizes the power of writing and encourages her clients to keep journals, make lists, and write. She believes that the act of putting your thoughts onto paper helps to clear busy minds, release worries, remain present and maintain mindfulness.